By Eugene Garner

ISAIAH - CHAPTER 45

GOD'S PURPOSE FULFILLED THROUGH CYRUS,
HIS ANOINTED SERVANT

    As already introduced, in chapter 44, Isaiah stresses the divine choice of Cyrus as an instrument, in the hands of Jehovah, whereby He governs the universe so as to fulfill His own sovereign will. And there is no reason to doubt that Isaiah recorded this prophecy approximately 150 years before the event.
    Cyrus was one of the really great men of ancient times. With unimaginable swiftness he defeated the Medes and, by a series of brilliant campaigns, enlarged his empire to colossal size. In defeating Croesus (546 BC) he extended his kingdom to the Aegean Sea. Then, with one rapid blow, he so decimated the Babylonian army that (in 539 BC) his general was able to take Babylon by surprise, and without a fight. Cyrus ruled the world!

   Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.
   I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.

    1. Cyrus is the Lord's anointed one - exalted as king over his people to fulfill the Lord's own purpose; In his work he is a type, or shadow, of the coming Messiah.
    2. The Lord is pictured here as holding his hand - evidently to guide him into prepared paths, (comp. 41:13; 42:6; Psa. 73:23).
      a. Subduing nations before him, (41:2, 25; Jer. 50:3, 35; 51:11, 20, 24).
      b. Weakening the kings, against whom Cyrus will march, (comp. Job 12:21).
      c. Opening doors before him, and providentially arranging that "the gates shall not be shut."
    3. Jehovah Himself will go before Cyrus, (vs. 2).
      a. Smoothing rough places, (comp. 40:4).
      b. Breaking in pieces doors of brass, (Psa. 107:15-16).
      c. And cutting their bars of iron in sunder, (Jer. 51:30).
    4. The Persian king is promised the treasures of darkness and the hidden riches of secret places, (vs. 3; Jer. 50:37); by the fulfillment of this promise Cyrus will know that the God of Israel is real - the true and living God.
    5. For Israel's sake, Jehovah has named Cyrus long before his birth - even surnaming him, (vs. 4).
      a. Designating him as a shepherd to His people, (44:28).
      b. Anointing him with kingly authority for the deliverance of Jacob, (vs. 1).
      c. And He accomplishes this even though Cyrus has not known Him, (comp. Acts 17:23).
    6. To Cyrus the Lord reveals Himself as Jehovah (the covenant-God of Israel, vs. 5a), and declares that beside Him there is no other God! Furthermore, He will strengthen Cyrus for the task to which He has called him, (vs. 5b; comp. Psalm 18:39).
    7. By what Jehovah accomplishes through this anointed one, ALL MEN (from east to west) will know that Jehovah alone is God! (vs. 6; Psa. 102:15; Mal. 1:11).
      a. He forms the light (42:16) and create darkness, (Psa. 104:20; 105:20).
      b. He makes peace (which Cyrus will bring to Judah), and creates evil - in the sense of making sorrow, wretchedness, calamity, adversity and affliction the inescapable fruits of rebellion, (vs. 7b; 31:2; 47:11; Amos 3:6-7).
    8. When the Prince of Peace reigns, the skies will "pour down righteousness" so that salvation and righteousness will spring up together, (vs. 8; 8:6).

   Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it. Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth? Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me. I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.

    1. In verse 9 a woe is pronounced upon those who have foolishly criticized the ways of Jehovah in His dealings with Cyrus, (comp. Psa. 2:1-3; Prov. 21:30; Jer. 50:24).
      a. "A potsherd, among the potsherds of earth" is certainly in no position to advise its Creator! (comp. Psalm 139:13-16).
      b. A potter's clay might as well attempt to advise the artisan as to his design! (Jer. 18:2-6; Rom. 9:20-24).
      c. Or, a human fetus could as justifiably criticize the wisdom, or painful struggle, of those who gave it being!
    2. If one wants to know the future of Israel, let him ask his Maker! He knows their past, present and future!
    3. Jehovah is the creator of the heavens, the earth, and of man upon it; what He creates He also rules.
    4. In like manner, He has raised up Cyrus, in righteousness, to fulfill His will - and will sustain him all the way! (vs. 13a; 41:2).
    5. In turn, Cyrus will rebuild Jerusalem and freely set the exiles of Judah at liberty - that they may return to the land of their fathers, (vs. 13b; 44:28; II Chron. 36:22-23; Isa. 52:3); the Spirit of the Lord deals mightily with the Persian king.

   Thus saith the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God. Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour. They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols. But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end. For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else. I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
   Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

    1. Verse 14 looks forward to the day of Israel's ultimate restoration - not under Cyrus, but under Messiah, the Servant of Jehovah.
    2. Gentile nations will abandon their idolatry - submitting themselves to Israel - and the covenant-nation will be saved, (vs. 14-17).
      a. Egypt, Ethiopia and the Sabeans will, voluntarily, surrender themselves and their assets to Israel, (19:21; Psa. 68:31; comp. Isa. 43:3).
      b. They will do this because they recognize that GOD IS IN HER - the only true God!
      c. The ways of Jehovah are superior to the natural expectations of the human intellect - marvellous and incomprehensible! (vs. 15).
      d. The makers of idols will be shamed and humiliated (42:17; 44:9, 11), but Israel will have no cause for shame (49:23; 54:4) - being blessed with an everlasting salvation, (vs. 16-17; 26:4; 51:6; Rom. 11:25-27).
    3. Both God's creation and promise are demonstrably good: (vs. 18-19).
      a. He fashioned and finished what He undertook in the material creation.
      b. So also, His promise to His earthly people is faithful, righteous, and true; it will be fulfilled; (II Cor. 1:20; Psa. 19:8; Isa. 43:12; Josh. 21:45; 23:14; I Kings 8:26).
    4. Again, great stress is laid on the folly of trusting in idols that have no life, no knowledge and no saving strength, (vs. 20-21) Psa. 115:4-8.
      a. No idol can behold, declare, and direct the future of its devotees!
      b. But Jehovah has done this, in behalf of Israel, from ancient times! (44:7).
      c. Therefore, He alone is GOD! a just God and a Saviour, (43:3a, 11; comp. Acts 4:12).
    5. But, He is not the Saviour of Israel only; here is a universal invitation for ALL MEN to "Look unto me, and be ye saved!" (vs. 22).
      a. The Gentile world is not shut up to perdition after all!
      b. They may choose between life and death; submission and destruction. But, the choice is theirs; each one is personally responsible!
      c. Thus, they must forever forsake their idols and turn to the Lord with their whole hearts!